Last time I posted about the “unhinged” things I do, someone called me OCD and said it seemed like I ran my house like a prison. They even said it didn’t feel like a home at all!
So, let’s see what you think of this list.
These are five more “unusual” things I do to keep my home tidy. They might not be for everyone, but they’ve made a huge difference in how easy my home is to manage.
My goal isn’t to have a house that never gets messy. My goal is to have a home that’s easy to maintain, easy to clean, and easy to get back to tidy when life gets chaotic.
Here are five things I do that might be a little different from what you’re used to.
1. I Transfer Takeout Food Into My Own Containers
This is one of my favorite hacks for keeping my refrigerator tidy!
When we bring home takeout or have leftovers, I transfer the food from its original packaging into my own containers whenever practical.
Why? Because I can see what I have, stack everything neatly, and make my refrigerator feel so much more organized.
Let’s be honest: food in mismatched takeout containers can quickly make a refrigerator look cluttered. When everything is in uniform containers, it’s easier to see what’s available and decide what to eat.
And, in my opinion, the food looks about a thousand times more appealing!
It’s a small change, but it makes a big difference in the way my refrigerator looks and functions.
Just be sure to refrigerate perishable food promptly and use food-safe containers.
2. I Keep a Little Trash Bowl on My Vanity
I used to be terrible about taking trash from my vanity to the trash can.
I’d use a cotton pad, unwrap something, or toss away a little piece of trash, and instead of walking it over to the bin, I’d leave it sitting on the counter.
Rather than continuing to fight this habit, I decided to work with it!
Now, I keep a small bowl on my vanity specifically for trash. When it’s full, I take it to the trash can and empty it.
That’s it!
Instead of expecting myself to change a habit that kept creating clutter, I created a system that makes the habit easier to manage.
This is something I talk about often: sometimes, the best way to organize your home is to stop fighting against your own habits and find a simple solution that works with them.
You don’t have to make everything harder than it needs to be.
3. I Hide Visual Clutter
Almost everything in my home has a designated bin, basket, or storage spot.
I like things to have a home, and I prefer to keep everyday items contained rather than scattered across surfaces.
Someone commented on my last video that “she doesn’t have laundry baskets in her house, but she has a basket for everything else!” Yes, I do!
Baskets and bins are some of my favorite organizing tools because they make it easy to put things away without having to think too hard about where they belong.
When items are scattered everywhere, a room can feel messy even if the things themselves are perfectly useful. Containing those items helps a space look calmer and makes tidying up much quicker.
Of course, not everything needs to be hidden. There are things we love and want to display in our homes!
But for the everyday items that tend to accumulate, I find that having a designated container makes a world of difference.
The less time I spend figuring out where things go, the easier it is to keep my home tidy.
4. We Shop for Groceries Weekly Instead of Stocking Up
We don’t try to keep our house stocked with huge quantities of food. Instead, we shop for groceries weekly.
This is a system we’ve followed for almost 10 years, and it works really well for our family.
When I buy what we need for the week, it’s easier to see what we have, plan meals around those ingredients, and keep track of what’s in the refrigerator and pantry.
We don’t have an overflowing refrigerator full of food that gets pushed to the back and forgotten about.
For us, this approach helps reduce food waste and makes grocery management feel much simpler.
I know some families prefer to shop in bulk, stock up on pantry staples, or keep a large supply of food on hand. There’s nothing wrong with that if it works for you!
But I’ve found that buying groceries weekly helps us manage what we have without accumulating more than we need.
The goal is to create a system that works for your household, not to follow someone else’s idea of how a pantry or refrigerator should look.
5. We Limit the Shoes and Coats by the Door
At our back door (the one we use all of the time), we allow each person to keep just one coat and one or two pairs of shoes.
Anything beyond that gets stored in that person’s closet.
Why? Because the entryway can become cluttered so quickly!
Think about how many shoes and coats can accumulate when everyone in the family leaves everything by the door. Before long, you’re stepping over shoes and trying to find somewhere to put another jacket.
Instead, we keep only the items we regularly need right by the entrance.
Everything else has a designated place elsewhere in the house.
This makes our entryway easier to clean, easier to walk through, and much easier to maintain.
It’s a simple boundary, but it prevents one of the most common clutter hotspots in a busy family home from getting out of control.
Do You Think These Habits Are Unhinged?
I know some of these habits might seem unnecessary or even a little extreme to someone who does things differently.
But here’s what I want you to understand: I’m not trying to create a perfect home. I’m trying to create an easy home.
I have a family, a busy life, and plenty of things that need my attention. I don’t want to spend all my time cleaning, organizing, and putting things away.
I want systems that make those things easier.
For me, that means having designated places for everyday items, keeping visual clutter under control, and limiting the amount of stuff that accumulates in certain areas.
Your systems might look completely different from mine, and that’s okay!
Maybe you love having a full pantry. Maybe you prefer open shelving instead of baskets. Maybe your family needs more shoes by the front door than mine does.
The point isn’t that everyone should do things exactly the way I do.
The point is to think about the things in your home that make it harder to stay tidy and ask yourself whether there’s a simpler way.
Could you make your refrigerator easier to manage? Could you create a better system for everyday trash? Could you give your clutter-prone items a designated basket? Could you simplify your entryway?
Small changes can make a surprisingly big difference.
A tidy home isn’t about following a bunch of strict rules. It’s about creating systems that make your everyday life easier.
So, tell me: could you get behind any of these five habits, or do you think I’m taking things a little too far?
